Do you really call him "Big Daddy"?

[DonaldDuckFamily]

So, I've got to ask this question so please, don't get offended. My brother and I were raised in Wisconsin but he moved to Texas about 17 years ago. Anyways, he just got married to a girl, that I really like, from the Forth Worth area. The wedding was in Texas and at the rehearsal dinner, which was at her parents home, I heard her Sister in Law call her Father in Law, "Big Daddy". This is how they had their son refer to his Grandpa, as "Big Daddy". I almost burst out laughing. But, this is seriously how they refer to him. I couldn't help but feel like I was in an episode of "Dallas". Is this common down south?

 

[Suzie Zoo]

LOL... reminds me more of The Golden Girls than Dallas. But I have a friend who calls her hubby that... her kids do not, though.

 

[raysnkaysmom]

Its common for kids to call a grandparent that...particularly when they have more than 1 set.. or something happened that brought it on early... I think it's cute...and it tends to stick.. So...since thats what the grandkids call him..it's just a natural following for the adult kids to call him that too...

 

[Boston Tea Party]

I had a great grandmother I used to call Big Nanny. My grandmother was Nanny.

It's a way of life. What can we say?

 

[java]

I had a Big Bubiela- She was Big Bubie to us. My great grandmother.

Oh wait I just remembered that the other Great Grandma was Big Babcia(said like Bobka- which always confused me thinking why are we calling her a bread? but it means Grandma in Polish)

 

[chrisw127]

Let's not forget Big Mama and Little Mama.

Personally, when I'm an old lady, I want to be known as Big Mama, even though I am very small of stature. I like the idea of being an eccentric old lady.

 

[mom2rb]

I had a Nanny and a Papa. My Nanny has since past. My kids call my parents Nana and Papa. My dad taught my boys to call my Papa " Big Papa ". It was a joke but it caught on so now all of the great grand kids call him Big Papa.

 

[MAKmom]

So, I've got to ask this question so please, don't get offended. My brother and I were raised in Wisconsin but he moved to Texas about 17 years ago. Anyways, he just got married to a girl, that I really like, from the Forth Worth area. The wedding was in Texas and at the rehearsal dinner, which was at her parents home, I heard her Sister in Law call her Father in Law, "Big Daddy". This is how they had their son refer to his Grandpa, as "Big Daddy". I almost burst out laughing. But, this is seriously how they refer to him. I couldn't help but feel like I was in an episode of "Dallas". Is this common down south?

It is a grandparent name in the north too. My great grandmother is called Big Mom-mom. It is also used for father & son. Big Joe & little Joe.

What do you call your grandparents?

 

[DonaldDuckFamily]

Thanks for all the replies. I've always used Grandpa and Grandma. I've heard Nana and Papa too....I wanted to ask because when I told co-workers how the grandkids referred to their grandpa as Big Daddy, they thought I was making a joke and don't believe me .

 

[MAKmom]

Thanks for all the replies. I've always used Grandpa and Grandma. I've heard Nana and Papa too....I wanted to ask because when I told co-workers how the grandkids referred to their grandpa as Big Daddy, they thought I was making a joke and don't believe me .

My grandmother is a Great-Great grandmother that is how she got Big MOm-Mom. There is 3 sets of Mom-moms

 

[DawnM]

My second cousins called their great grandma (my mom's great aunt) , "Big Mama."

 

[koalababy]

I had a friend from the south who called his grandmother Big Momma. The whole family did. I think the grandfather had died, so I don't know what they called him. But the grandfather on his mom's side was called granddaddy, I believe.

 

[doxdogy]

My mother's grandmother was always referred to as Big Momma. I never met her though. We called my mother's mom granny.

 

[Shyvioletisme]

well I"m born and raised in texas and have never known or met anyone who has anyone in their family called "Big" something...
that is just weird and kinda creepy to me..

 

[m&m's mom]

well I"m born and raised in texas and have never known or met anyone who has anyone in their family called "Big" something...
that is just weird and kinda creepy to me..

Me too and I agree!

 

[Minnesota!]

The "Big" stuff IS really creepy to me, too. YUCK.

My grandparents were always "Grandma and Grandpa". And if I was talking about them to someone, I would call them "Grandpa/Grandma Last Name".

My kids call my mom (their only grandparent still living) "Grandma". When we refer to my dad or my IL's, it's Papa (my dad), or Grandma Pat and Grandpa Tom (my IL's).

 

[NotUrsula]

It's a bit fake-y -- it came into the Southern mainstream via Tennessee Williams, who used that name for the character of the plantation owner in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. (He and his wife are known as Big Daddy and Big Momma.) The character of Big Daddy is not only an overbearing, controlling patriarch, he is also a physically very big man. Burl Ives originated the role on Broadway and reprised it in the film.

I'm sure there have always been some people who used it, but after the movie of COHTR came out in 1958 and was a big hit, you started hearing it MUCH more often.

 

[littleteapot]

well I"m born and raised in texas and have never known or met anyone who has anyone in their family called "Big" something...
that is just weird and kinda creepy to me..

DH is a 7th generation Texan. His Great Grandmother was Big Momma. I always thought it was sweet. Of course she died long before I came along, but she has always been remembered fondly.....never creepy

 

[SamIAm21]

I had a grandma and a "big" (great) grandma. She wasn't necessarily big in size only that she was up higher on the family tree as a great grandmother. I never thought it was strange???

 

[momrek06]

Reminds me of the movie "Cat On A Hot Tin Roof" starring Paul Newman. They called Burl Ives "Big Daddy". This was set in Mississippi.


On "Dog the Bounty Hunter", Beth always calls Dog "Big Daddy" and they are from Colorado and the show is filmed in Hawaii!!!